Halfway to Anywhere

32 Pages·2016·4.62 MB·English

Halfway to Anywhere -
Cislunar and Deep Space
Cubesat Missions From ISS
AIAA Space 2016
Long Beach, California
September 13, 2016
Authors:
Gary P. Barnhard (Co-author & Presenter), President & CEO
Xtraordinary Innovative Space Partnerships, Inc. (XISP-Inc)
[email protected]
Eric L. Dahlstrom (Co-author) President
International Space Consultants
[email protected]
Dr. Edward Belbruno (Advisor), President
Innovative Orbital Design
[email protected]
.
www.xisp-inc.com
1
Outline
• Introduction
• Background & Motivation
• Advantages & Disadvantages
• Team Alpha CubeSat Example
• ISS as a launch platform
• Conclusion
• Next Steps
• Backup Slides
2
Introduction
Science fiction author Robert Heinlein once said, ”Once
you're in low Earth orbit you're halfway to anywhere.”
This statement while playing a bit fast and loose with a
strict accounting of kinetic energy requirements, is far
from hyperbole.
This presentation examines both how to leverage the
advantages and mitigate the disadvantages of using the
International Space Station (ISS) as a beyond Earth orbit
transportation node for multiple applications.
3
Background & Motivation - 1
Historically, most space missions have focused on single-use
Earth-to-destination transportation
To develop a fully space-faring civilization, we need to evolve
toward reusable, refueled, space vehicles that can provide
transportation between multiple destinations - a different kind
of space transportation architecture
This kind of transportation architecture is important for space
development, space resource use, and space exploration.
4
Background & Motivation - 2
Elements of these kind of space architectures have been proposed or used
in the past (Lunar orbit rendezvous and the LEM, ‘Earth orbit rendezvous’,
Space Transportation System - Shuttle+Station+OTV, etc.).
Previously, the assembly and deployment of lunar and deep space vehicles
was a major mission of the space station - but these missions were
deferred as ISS was built
New opportunities with cubesats (including deployment from ISS) allow
elements of these transportation architectures to be demonstrated e.g.
propellant option demos, and isolate from developing infrastructure for
test
5
Advantages & Disadvantages - 1
Spacecraft design:
• Assemble IVA or EVR in LEO
• Avoid aerodynamic loads
• Avoid launch loads
• Potential for large structures
• Potential for space manufacturing
• Design for vacuum
• Pure ‘space’ spacecraft
Different level of design optimization -
optimize for in-space use
6
Advantages & Disadvantages - 2
ISS serves as a Propulsion Test Bed for many options:
• bi-propellants (non-toxic, non-hazardous)
• solar electric/ion thrusters
• power beaming
• resistojets (e.g., scavenged water, methane, etc.)
• mono-propellants (non-toxic, non-hazardous)
• solar sails
Provides for a wide range of low
and high thrust options
7
Advantages & Disadvantages - 3
Trajectory and delta-v implications of starting from LEO:
• Classic “minimum” energy trajectories are not optimal
• Alternate minimum energy trajectories become tractable
• Longevity of spacecraft components becomes more critical
• Non-protected orbit transfers increases exposure time to
• Orbital debris
• Radiation belts
• The calculations required are more demanding and must be
readily accomplished
There is an intersection between
orbital dynamics and art . . .
8
9
LUNAR RESONANCE ORBITS
New Twists:
Frozen
orbits
include
Lunar
Resonance
Orbits that
work from at
least four
inclinations
27o, 50o,
76o, and 86o
Spacecraft
in these
orbits can
stay in lunar
orbit
indefinitely
with little or
no makeup
propulsion.
Abstracted from Whitley, et.al. Options for Staging Orbits in Cislunar Space , FISO Presentation April 13, 2016